Various types of wall coverings for homes, offices, hotels and other installations have been developed in the prior art. These wall coverings may consist of wallpaper, fabric, wood panels, tiles, mirrors, paints, coatings and the like. The appearance, durability and cost of these coverings are paramount criteria. The cost involves the initial installation as well as the maintenance and eventual replacement.
Fabrics are often used to create a "rich" look and to reduce noise, especially where the walls are of the "drywall" type and consist of panels secured to studs to form internal partitions within a building structure. The fabrics may be glued to the drywall partitions; and contrasting colors, patterns and textures may be employed to provide the decorator with a desired effect. The initial installation of fabric wall coverings is relatively expensive; and as a result, their use has been confined to selected installations usually consisting of executive offices. Moreover, once installed the fabric wall coverings are not easily removable; and if removal is ever desired, the fabric coverings must be scraped off and the walls must be sanded. This, too, is expensive and inconvenient.
Since many offices are leased on a short-term basis, say one to three years, the tenants are naturally reluctant to make a relatively-large initial investment in fabric wall coverings, especially since the coverings are a permanent installation. The same situation prevails with respect to tenants in apartments or condos, since these tenants tend to have a transient status.
As a result, there is a long-felt need for a fabric wall covering that may be easily installed and may be just as easily removed, yet provides a designer "look", reduces noise interference, and is color coordinated with the existing furniture and decor.